Disclaimer: I don't own any Sly Cooper characters; they belong to Sucker Punch Productions.
Claimer: I own all of my original characters.
Sorry for the semi-long updating period and I unfortunately won't be able to update as often as the last one but I'll try my best. Please read and review! (:
Chapter 2: Falling Apart
My eyes fluttered open and I let out a groan of pain when I moved. I felt the all too familiar burn and ache of a shock pistol blast and a migraine starting to form. I carefully rolled on my back and rested my arms over my eyes while kicking the covers off my legs. That's when I remembered being in an alley before I blacked out and now I was in a bed. I shot up, looked around, and realized I wasn't in my apartment. These definitely weren't my sheets, my walls weren't beige, my room certainly didn't look like a storage unit like this one, and I'm pretty sure I had hardwood floors in my room. I carefully stood from the bed and walked towards the heavy, oak door. I placed my paw on the doorknob and pulled it open as gently as I could, so I wouldn't agitate my back anymore than it already was. I peered out into the hallway and saw and heard nothing or no one. Taking very small and quiet steps, I walked into the living room and was relieved when I saw Murray sitting on the couch reading over some car magazine. The floor creaked and he looked up and motioned for me to quickly sit in a recliner when he realized I was up and awake. I did like I was told and sat old yet comfortable chair while giving off many grunts of pain in the process.
"Bentley and Sly are out getting something or something like that, I wasn't really paying attention, they'll be back soon." He said after I was situated. I laughed softly and agreed with him for rarely paying attention. I couldn't count how many times I had been nagged at by my brother to start paying attention during briefings but it never changed.
"I don't pay attention either," I mentioned, "although I probably should, maybe it'll save me from getting shot so much." I rolled over this thought briefly until he started talking again.
"I didn't know how fast of a driver you were until tonight. I'm gonna have to challenge you to a race one day!" we both laughed at the comment.
"Bring it on. I can out drive you any day, as long as my car is ok." I remembered having to ditch my car and started wondering what had happened to it.
"I think that's what they went to go get, actually." And at that notion, Sly and Bentley came into their hideout a few minutes later.
"Well," Bentley said as he took a seat on the couch next to Murray, "We have good news, bad news, and worse news. Which do you want first?"
"Give me the good." I said as I shifted in the seat with a grunt.
"We found your car and brought it back here." He twiddled his thumbs momentarily, "But, it's completely totaled."
"Completely!" I shrieked. That car was the only way I would be able to get everything I needed in a timely manner and now I had no idea how I would do that. They nodded and continued.
"And finally," Sly continued on for Bentley, "we followed the police after we brought you back here and they found your apartment and searched it. They took a few things from it but not that much." My heart felt as if it was in my throat when he said that.
"What did they take? Did they take a safe? It was medium sized and solid back. Do you know if they took it?" everything I had collected, all the crystals and gems were in that safe. Sly looked over to the turtle with furred eyebrows and thought.
"I think they did, was it important?" Bentley's voice filled my ears but I only half listened. I had to figure out a way to get that safe back without anything being taken from it.
"And your brother left a message about an hour ago." Murray shifted in his seat and searched around the phone. He eventually pulled out a sticky note and handed it to me. I read the scribbled message on the small piece of paper. It basically said that my brother knew my car was totaled and would be able to pick me up in the morning and had asked Sly and his gang if I could stay until he came. They of course agreed and had placed me in the room I had woken up in. I flipped it over to the back and continued reading. I slumped into the chair and sighed at what it said. It confirmed my worries and the police had gotten the safe. It was the most important thing that I owned, and it was now gone. I crumpled the note in my paws and stayed silent, as did the others. I rubbed the bridge of my nose before standing up slowly.
"I'm going to bed, I've had a bad night." I strolled into the bedroom that had been set up for me and let the door close silently. I flopped on the bed and sighed. It was around two in the morning and I was wide awake. With a combination of the pain from my wounds, to the news of my car, and finally knowing that everything I had worked my entire adult like and half of my teenage years getting, were now in the hands of the police.
After tossing and turning for almost an hour, I decided I needed some fresh air and a place to think. I crawled to the other end of the bed and pushed the widow open and eventually found a way to crawl up and out. I used my claws to scale up the side of the building and eventually onto the roof. The cool night air blew through my fur and I enjoyed the feeling. The moon was the only thing that illuminated the darkness and the sounds of cars passing by filled the empty spaces between small bursts of wind. I sat near the edge and looked over what I could see of the city. The Eiffel Tower stood proudly in the distance and everything had a calm and peaceful haze to it. My head snapped around when I heard someone coming up the roof. I had my guess of who it was but was still on the alert. Sly eventually popped his head out from over the side of the building and finished climbing when he saw me. I returned my attention to the city as he finished climbing and eventually sat next to me.
"How did you know I was up here?" I asked with a playfully stern tone.
"Well, my room is next to the guest room, the room you're in, and I heard the window open; just wanted to make sure you were alright." I gave a quick smile and thanked him.
"So, what brings you up on the roof this late at night?"
"I needed a place to think; somewhere quiet and out in the open." I moved my bangs from my eyes and sighed.
"Think about what?" he studied me as I paused to think about what I would say.
"If everything I'm doing is actually worth it. Everything I have worked my tail off for since I was fifteen has been taken away and-" I stopped when my voice started to crack.
"It's worth it, trust me." I knew what he meant. He had worked a long time to get back his family heirloom and take down his enemies in the process. "And if you ever need help, just give us a call." I nodded in response before turning away from him and placing my head on my paw. Tears started forming in my eyes when reality really started to punch back. I shut them quickly in an attempt to stop them from falling and it temporarily worked. I felt a paw rest on my shoulder and give it a light squeeze before Sly suggested that we should both get to bed. I agreed and I followed him back down the side of the building and we entered thorough my window. I had just seated myself on the bed when he reached the door.
"And again, if you need anything, let us know." He said before the walked out of the room and shut the door behind him. I eventually got settled down and fell asleep.